Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-27

one Of the most important amendments
to the constitution submitted to the peo-
pie for their ratification or rejection is
that which authorizes the registration of
voters in cities Of 10000 inhabitants or
over, and in counties where it is desired.
/ This provision has long been felt neces-
/ sary IN cities where q floating element
was to be found. Those who live and la
Dor in 8 city and by taxes support it's mu-
niclpal government ought to have voice
in the conduct and management Of that
government. Every Iaboring man has to
pay a high price for the privilege of
living in q city, IN rents and current
expenses, and every property owner
has to pay in taxes and increased
expenses for this privilege, and these
are more interested than any others in
the municipal affairs Of the city. They
are stockholders and interested parties
The city corporation IS similar to other
corporations, organized for the benefit of
its stockholders and to be conducted by
stockholders uniuhueuced by the votes Of
outsiders. 1t is great wrong to leave
these city people open TO and unprotected
against the inCursions Of irresponsible
nomads who flock around the polls from
far and near to vote as the bosses may
direct. Men who have no interest in |
towns or cities have been known to iend
their votes to the suppression Of the pop
ular Will of the bona Gde electors. Char !
acterless, constituencies persons can be
found readily who will, for q few free
lunches and glasses Of whisky, turn their /
sufrages over to the sbolute control
Of ambitious conspirat6rs who seek not
the common good but their own self /
aggrandizement. 1t is well known that
many political conventions have been
carried by the railroads hauling In car |
loads of men to overpower and outnum-
Der popular me orities. That these same /
practices have been resOrted to in cleo /
tions is q matter Of common rumor, and .
certainly not impossible. It has been
claimed that the railroads have stripped .
their lines Of men and herded them from
town to town in order to carry their own
points, and this is not improbable or, st
least, it is not impossible. II is therefore
necessary for the protection of the real
parties in interest that the measure should
be adopted There will be no expense
attached and no argument can be used
against the amendment save by those who
are inimicAI TO good government and
whose ends are best served by
the scsndaIous expe-
riences Of the past. For the adop-
ton of this measure the friends Of
purity in government, residing in the
cities, must depend largely on the good
people OF the country for assistance
THE GAZETTE hopes that the rursl voters
will see the Justice Of the provision and
-ote for it. 1t is q simple provision
which requires that those who desire to
,ote in an election in cities of 10000 in
or over shall, before the day Of
lection, register their names in order
hat the judges may know on election day
hat they are bons hde citizens and entitled
0 vote. The tramp and the nomadiC bum q
ner cannot vote unless registered. Thus I
protection is thrown around the ballot :
nd the citizens sre shielded from Illegal
citing and trickery. When it is remem-
cred that great contests and principles 5
re often decided and enuncisted by one {
ote, it will be plainly apparent how Z
areful people should be and how iesl- .
usly they should guard the ballot box {
:, =. - P-Ig:!on Of illeg:! ballots, b